Born out of Time
by Th3Hybr1d
Summary: He was never supposed to exist. A child, born from an impossible era. Yet he thinks, therefore he is; he walks, therefore he breathes. He is born of a Greek deity- but not the Olympians we know and love. His mission will see him overcome impossible odds, but he is not alone. He is Andrew, son of Kronos. (eventual shipping later on, T because it's Percy Jackson.)
1. Prologue

**Hello, everyone! I promised myself I would try writing something new, and here it is, my prologue to Born out of Time! Hope you enjoy, the summary's at the end.**

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"_Manhattan and Greece have fallen! Apollo and Hyperion are overrun-"_

"_We can't hold the giants off forever, brother. They approach Olympus as we speak!"_

"_What else can we do?! Our children are slaughtered, Camp Half-Blood and Jupiter are no more; Fort Goliath-"_

"_What of my child?"_

"_This does not concern you, mortal-"_

"_It's the end of the world, you bet your godhood I'm involved in this! I will not allow the Gods and Titans to argue before they perish without a means of fighting back!"_

"_...Sarah-"_

"_No. You're the _literal _father of the Gods. Surely you can think of something."_

"_..."_

"_..."_

"_...Father?"_

"_There… is an idea. A possibility to save us."_

"_Well? Don't hold back Father; what is it?"_

"_Patience, Hades. This is only a theory, but along with time manipulation I have the powers of time travel. I can go forwards or backwards, but for a limited time. I have the power to send a mortal back permanently. What if we were to send someone back to before this happened?"  
_"_We could completely avoid this altogether?"_

"_Precisely. This _is _an idea, mind you, so it may end up completely failing and displacing the subject."_

"_But who would be willing enough to try this out?"_

"_..."_

"_..."_

"_Sarah?"_

"_My place is by your side, husband. Don't you dare think of sending me away-"_

"_I wasn't thinking of you."_

"_...!"_

"_Wha- the child?! Father, that's absurd!"_

"_He is the only option we have, Zeus. Gaea's already wiped out most demigods across the continents. He is our best option."_

"_But think of the prejudice he'll face, and not just from the demigods! Monsters will target him all the more, he'll be a priceless target for those against the Olympians-"_

"_He'll be in good hands. Chiron will see to it."_

"_Are you even sure Chiron will accept him at Camp Half-Blood?"_

"_He's accepted children of the Big Three. A son of a Titan is no different."_

"_I think you might be overstepping that, Father-"_

"_Hold your tongue, Poseidon. This is a choice between the parents of the child."_

"_Sarah? Do I have your consent?"_

"_..."_

"_..."_

"_... are you sure he's our best idea?"_

"_At this rate he is our _only _idea."_

"_If you end up putting him in the wrong year I'll strangle your spirit from the Underworld."_

"_Hmmhmm, fair enough."_

"_You have my consent then."_

"_My sons? All in favor?"  
_"_Aye."  
_"_Aye."_

"_I don't like this, but I'll accept it nonetheless."_

"_Milords!" _

"_Hermes. What's the situation?"_

"_The giants are at Olympus's doorstep! We're out of time!"_

"_For us, perhaps. For the child…"_

"_Father, I've trusted your judgement, but… how can you be okay with this?"_

"_You think I'm comfortable with sending my infant son away from me right before our demise?"_

"_You seem calm so far."_

"_On the outside, perhaps. Internally I condone myself for what I'm about to do. I'm going to essentially commit infanticide."_

"_If this doesn't work out."_

"_Yes. A moment, please, with my family."_

"_We'll do our best to hold them off."_

"_Define your best."_

"_We'll show those Giants never to mess with God and Titan."_

"_Fair enough. Off with you, then."_

"_..."_

"_...Are you well, my love?"_

"_We're about to send our only son back in time and you're asking me if I'm all right?"_

"_You've been fairly adamant with this."_

"_I hate it. I hate it so much."_

"_As do I. I assume you know the weight of his existence, then?"_

"_... he won't know his lineage."_

"_Indeed. And yet, if there is even a chance for our survival, it all lies in him. He will be heralded as Perseus of the past and the present, a hero worthy of uniting the Gods and the Titans. Good luck, little Andrew Duncan."_

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**A/N: so if you haven't gathered already, this story is based off an alternate reality where the Greek Gods and Titans got along. Kronos, rather than eating his infant children and fighting against them, raised them like a proper parent and gave up his seat (reluctantly, but I'm sure anyone who was king of the universe would be hesitant in surrendering their position) to his Olympian children. In return, the Titans were allowed to mingle with the mortals, raising children of their own - named "demititans" - to grow up with the demigods. Gaea is the main antagonist in this reality, working beneath the scenes of the second series, the Gods and Titans unaware as she raises her giant children. And unlike the original series, Camp Jupiter and Half-Blood do not reconcile, fighting each other while the real enemy destroys their roots before slaughtering all of the kids, and the world with it. In a last ditch effort to save his only son, and hopefully themselves, Kronos sent him back as a baby to the time before the Lightning Thief began.**

**And before you start complaining, NO, Andrew is not a Gary Stu. Sure he has over-the-top powers over time and can see through lies (his mother was a daughter of Hecate), but he worries. A lot. He hates swearing, fire, sickness, you get the picture. Generalized anxiety disorder sucks (I mean no offense to those of you who have it), coupled with OCD. He befriends Percy - okay sure, son of Poseidon's a nice guy, but he's pretty dense, and he'll criticize him for that. He'll work to ensure that the Titans get what they deserve while making peace with the Gods.**

**Let me know what you think! Like it, leave a like and/or a review! Not a fan? You're free to leave, but let me know what I did wrong. Next chapter's when things escalate.**

**Write on!**


	2. Getting to know me

**A/N: kind of distracted by college, I'm on track now. Chapter 1 (technically 2) has arrived!**

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Getting to know me… and how I got in this mess

When you grow up on the streets you meet a lot of weird people. I'm what you classify as "weirdest."

I'm no one special, just a kid with OCD and an eidetic memory. Ever watched _Psych_? If you have you'll know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, fix that. It's a great TV show. That and the old episodes _Doctor Who._ (The orphanages I grew up in were pretty lax with letting the kids watch whatever they want. I'm a nerd, sue me.)

Sorry, where was I? Ah right, introductions. I'm Andrew. Just Andrew. Don't ask about my last name. It's definitely not important to the story.

Moving on, leaving the possibilities of my last name behind; I'm an orphan. I know what you're thinking: "Aww, poor Andrew, you have no parents?" Stop. I don't need a pity party. I'm almost 13, an independent teenager by my standards. A teenager shuns everything that is offered to them. Except food. Food is always good.

Going off on a tangent again, I'll be doing that often.

I'm weird. So what? Everyone's their own kind of weird. That's normal. In my case, though, I'm an exception.

When the orphanage took me in I was wrapped in a blanket with hourglass decorations. I was sucking on a golden pocket watch, courtesy of whoever left me on the doorstep.

I still keep it with me. It's probably the only reminder I have of my parents.

When I'm taking tests in school I seem to complete them before everyone else. That's normal, assuming I'm smart, right? Wrong. I'm average at best. Einstein had problems with math. I'd rather take second grade for eternity than advanced geometry. Whenever I take tests time seems to slow down for me. My pencil flies across the paper and by the time I've finished with 30 questions five minutes have barely passed. The teachers keep telling me to slow down and take my time - I've tried taking their advice, but that seems to only make things worse.

And it's not just in school. A copperhead had snuck into my room when I was getting into bed. I woke up to see it sleeping next to my head on the pillow. Being seven years old at the time I didn't know anything about poisonous snakes. I just saw the snake and thought it looked cool. The head of the orphanage walked in and nearly fainted when she found me playing with my new pet, whom I named "Pete."

When I was barely ten I was walking home from school one day, suddenly approached by someone wearing a jacket. They asked me what I was doing by myself. Might've been my imagination but I swore that they had just one eye. Told them that I was going home, they offered me a ride. Told them I was fine by myself, but that seemed to upset them and they grabbed my arm. As soon as I touched their wrist they started to disintegrate in front of me, prompting me to call for help as their hand started turning to dust and they were shrieking in panic. By the time the police showed up they were a pile of dust and bones on the pavement.

They dismissed it as a prank, that it was just a kid that got spooked by a late halloween prank. I was left traumatized for weeks. Wore winter gloves to prevent that from happening again.

Despite what everyone said I knew better. Underneath the kid diagnosed with OCD and generalized anxiety, there was something else.

"Hey, Andrew!"

A smile grew on my face at the sound of my name called. I turned to see a boy my age with ruffled black hair and skin with a hazel tone. We exchanged fistbumps before the bro hug amidst lighthearted chuckling.

Stephan's been by my side since the first grade. He was the first to ask for my name, offer me a piece of his mom's double chocolate brownie, you get the idea. In return I was the one who stood up to the jerks making fun of him for the goat bleating he would randomly make. They called him "Sheep boy"; I gave them a knee between the legs. Staying in the corner during recess was worth it.

I could've been jealous that he had a family and I didn't. I could've joined the crowd in mocking him and his weird habits of eating tin cans. The thing was though, he was the first and only decent person I'd met. So I figured I would return kindness with kindness.

"We hanging out after school today?" he asked. "First weekend of summer vacation!"

"Well, yeah, as long as your mom's okay with it, because if I'm not needed-"

"Ah, you need to stop worrying _amigo_!" he clapped my shoulder, giving me his trademark, toothy grin. "You're always welcome at our house, Mama loves you! It's a wonder you aren't my brother already."

I avoided his gaze, somewhat uncomfortable at his statement. Thankfully he somehow senses my hesitance and changed the subject. He tended to do that, understanding me and my fears on a level nobody else could. "Anyway, Mama's got her famous double chocolate brownies for us when we get home, you feeling up for some Monster Hunter 2?"

I perked up instantly, grinning and nodding enthusiastically. He was the one who introduced me to the series, and though he was a fan of the game I became a fanatic about the whole series. The two of us chatted a little longer before the bell rung and we separate for our classes.

History was, well, mildly boring. Greek mythology's somewhat appealing to me, tales of Gods and heroes fighting monsters is cool. I'm busy taking notes on the Titans when a ruler tapped the edge of my desk. I look up to see the substitute studying me with stormy grey eyes, mouth pulled into a tight line.

"Need something, Ms. Diana?" She didn't reply, continuing to stare at me with an emotionless face before she moved past. I watched her move with some confusion, other students doing the same.

If you thought that was weird, I was about to enter a whole world of it.

* * *

The bell was drowned out by the yells of students rushing out the doors, all eager to enjoy summer vacation. I waited for the last of the students to trickle out the halls before making my exit. Stephan's waiting for me at the entrance, smart enough to know I waited for the hordes to pass before I poked my head out. The two of us made our way down the sidewalk to his house. It was a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. Perfect, it seems.

How such a day could end up so horrible.

We turn onto the corner of Stephan's block to see a pillar of smoke rising up from a house just next to Stephan's. My friend exclaimed in Spanish and rushed home, me in pursuit. He burst in through the front door and yelled for his mother, dashing between rooms in search for her. I'm calling her name out, praying to whatever deity for the fire to not reach this house before we escape.

I dashed up the stairs, but I froze halfway up as my eyes met the gaze of… of… _something._

It looked like a dog, but if its deathly snarl and the body in its jaw was anything to go by I guessed it was nowhere near as friendly. Its fur was jet black, allowing it to blend in with the shadows of an alleyway at midnight.

It dropped the body of Mrs. Castanza and barked once before leaping down at me, mouth open and filled with bloodied fangs. I had time to yelp and dive out of the way as it sailed past me, skidding along the wooden floor, though it's not long before it regained composure, turning to face me-

Seconds later a bronze pole is sticking out of its side, prompting it to let out a yip before melting into a puddle of darkness. The pole was, in fact, a javelin, the end sharpened to do serious damage, possibly kill. I recognized it as Stephan's makeshift crutch he would use when his legs were acting up.

Speaking of, he scampered to the remains of the dog that just tried to kill me, kneeling to retrieve the spear and examine the remains.

"Stephan?"

He looked up at me, his face unnaturally grim. His eyes flicked past me to look at his mom, laying dead on the top of the stairs.

"Mama always said Hellhounds were be the first to catch a demigod's scent."

I looked at my friend as if he had spoken gibberish. And in a sense, he had. He ran up to me, holding his spear by his side. "You alright?"

I nodded, scarcely believing that my friend was a monster hunter. He jogged up the stairs and knelt by his mom, muttering words I didn't catch from where I was. Somehow I managed to get to my feet and approach the thing that was, as Stephan said, a "Hellhound." The jet black pool was disappearing, leaving behind a small pile of fangs. As soon as my hand touched them they changed into a necklace of dirty dog teeth.

I don't do jewelry. Especially if it came from a dog that just tried to kill me. Nevertheless I felt compelled to put it on just as Stephan came hurrying down the stairs.

"We need to move."

I tried to say something. A protest, or something smart. All that came out was, "Hddefferweh?"

"The Hellhound was just the beginning. Other monsters are already making a move on us. Grab your stuff."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I grabbed his arm as he starts to walk away. "What about game night?"

He sighed, though it's patient despite the circumstances.

"Andrew, remember what we learned in history class? The myths of Greece and the Greek gods?"

I nodded. He kicked his shoes off, exposing what I assumed would be feet-

_Hooves._

Black, cloven hoofs attached to ankles covered in fuzzy brown hair. I look up at his face, then down at his hooves. "Are you part goat?"

"Technically I'm a satyr, but yeah, satyrs are half-human, half-goat. Beats being called part donkey. Anyways, grab your stuff." Before I say that my stuff's back at the orphanage he said "I've already brought your things home, they're in the family room in a bag. Food, clothes, some knives if we need to defend ourselves."

"What- where are we going?"

"The only place people like you can go to," he set the spear on his shoulder in an attempt to look awesome (he did better than if I had tried). "Camp Half-Blood."

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**A/N: told you the story would pick up here. Next up is a taste of Andrew's powers.**

**Again, thank you to those who left a like and/or follow! If you liked what you read, how about a like? Didn't like it, tell me what I did wrong? Reviews are always appreciated, see you next chapter.**

**Write on!**


	3. I go cowboy on Snake Women

**A/N: Today in my free time I wrote almost 4 pages of born out of time. Way to be productive, eh? Anyways, enjoy!**

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I go Cowboy on Snake women

They're true. The Greek Gods and legends are actually flesh and blood.

As we're hurrying down the streets and trying to hail a taxi I'm having difficulty concentrating on what he means, like _actually _means. He's telling me about how the Gods have been mingling with mortals in the past, and their children, called "demigods", have been raised to fight monsters and save the world.

"Demigods have this kind of scent that other monsters smell, so they go and try killing them. The more powerful the demigod's parent is, the stronger the smell."

His explanation wasn't helping my anxiety. My stomach was churning violently, creating a whirlpool that threatened to exit through my mouth any second. I'd need a stronger medication after all of this.

He talked about how the camp was- sorry, still _is_\- a refuge for demigods, a place that offers safety and training on how to fight monsters. I'm a kid that just finished seventh grade, and already I'm thrust into a game of Dungeons and Dragons. That, or a pretty cheap fanfic.

We just pulled up to a forested area near Long Island. Stephan thanks the driver, pays him, and pulls me out with him. The skies were starting to cloud over, faint rumbles of thunder on the horizon.

"Almost there, Andrew, almost there-!" he froze as a chorus of hissing emanated from the bushes around us. I see a woman emerge from the leaves, looking human from the waist up but with snake tails for legs. Four more followed behind her- did I mention they're all holding a spear?

"Foolisssh mortalsssss," the leader hissed (pardon the pun), "you've played right into our handsssssss."

I hesitated just as Stephan brandishes his spear, trying to look threatening towards the snake women.

"Four on two, Andrew_. _We can take this!"

Before I can remind him that I'm a kid with OCD and he's a goat-human with weird eating habits, not one, not two, but _five _more snake women slithered (another snake pun, sorry) out of the woods. And they're all carrying spears, directing them at us in a threatening fashion.

"Stephan, if you have any other abilities that can kick butt, now's the time to show me."

"I'm a satyr, man! I'm only good at the pan pipe and using a spear against _uno _baddie_. _It's usually the demigods who fight the monsters."

"But I don't have any weapons; all I have is my bag and a teeth necklace."

"Use it, then!"

"For what!?"

Before he can answer one of the snake ladies jabbed at him with a spear, leaving a gash in his side. He cries out as he dropped to his knees. Another grinned maliciously at me and thrust her spear. My stomach tightens in a knot as I wait for the pain, I turned away in what's very likely my last moments.

The moments turned into minutes, and I'm left wondering when death's going to come. I peek an eye open, only to see the snake woman, ready to throw her spear.

The only problem is, she's frozen. Not in ice, it's just as if she turned into a statue. I rose up carefully to my feet as I inspected the woman. Her manic expression looked like something out of a movie, eyes narrowed in glee and mouth open mid-laugh. I looked towards Stephan to show him the oddity, but he's frozen too. In fact, as I glanced around me at the other snake women, they're stuck in place: unmoving, expressions frozen. It's like they're put on pause.

I turned back to my original captor, still frozen where she was. Then I look at the spear she's holding as a wicked idea began to form in my head.

I wouldn't consider myself as a rascal, but I have to confess I am somewhat mischievous. Kinda like Loki, except for the part about killing a god by accident and being eternally condemned for it. However, I don't bother resisting the smirk as I carefully pry the weapon from her hands, noting the uncomfortably long fingernails (did these women know what a nail clipper was?) and scaly hands. I took a moment to admire the craftsmanship of the weapon: almost balanced, the tip was crudely fashioned to work effectively.

I tossed it between hands before I redirected it to the snake woman.

"Poke."

It was just a light touch, but in that second she unfreezes and is sent flying towards a tree, screaming all the way. She turned into dust before she crashed into the bark. Her friends all snapped their heads to where she disappeared, then turned to stare at me.

I threw the spear away in an attempt to look innocent.

"Sorry?"

It fell on deaf ears however, as they all redirect their spears at me. In a panic I did as Stephan told me, grabbing the necklace and tearing it off-

And I yelped again as the whole strand catches on fire… _green_ fire, and… okay, I'm definitely getting stronger medication.

The eight snake women recoiled in surprise as the necklace elongated and transformed into a _freaking chain link _whip that, as I mentioned before, is doused with emerald flames. I'm glad it doesn't hurt me, but still… a bit much, maybe? Reminds me of that one Marvel hero.

Eventually one of the snake women got the guts to try attacking me, stepping up and swinging their spear. I sidestep easily and bring my whip across her. It missed by a wide amount, but I slashed it in front of me. The end flew the other way and wrapped around her midsection and the flames burn brighter, earning a wail from the prisoner before she's reduced to dust. The others hissed in outrage at the sight of their dead comrade, ignoring Stephan and focusing on the threat.

I'm fairly certain that while the grip of the whip won't burn me, the other end will, so I have to be careful when swinging. I started making circles with my hand, creating a wall of flaming chain between me and the snake women. It's a start, but they just try circling around the wall, so I'm forced to walk forward and drive them off.

But I'm vastly outnumbered. And these reptilian women won't let up. I also don't want to start a forest fire, because of the animals that may get killed and the potential camp-

I see something move out of the corner of my eye and I turned to see three of them sneaking round, trying to distract me. I redirect my whip at them and they withdrew away-

Leaving me open for the others to hurl their spears. Two miss, but one managed to graze my arm and the other embedded in my ankle. My defense dropped as I fell to my knees, teeth clenched to distract me from the pain.

"Andrew!"

I heard my friend scream but I couldn't move. I felt the tips of the other spears press into the base of my neck, forcing me lower.

"Sssssssso closssse, and yet ssssssso far," a snake woman hissed (what is it with the puns?) triumphantly. I'm waiting, waiting for a window to show and the pain to subside. "A demigod, ssssslaughtered jussssst on the reachessss of Camp-gyah!"

Camp Gyah? My eyes flicked upwards to see a snake woman stagger backwards, arms reaching up to try removing a certain Hispanic satyr from her neck. All right Stephan, my man!

I draw my whip and toss it around, startling the enemies before reducing them to piles of dust. I staggered to my feet, the pain in my foot still strong to affect me as I watched my friend keep a chokehold on the snake woman, only to be thrown off as one of her legs/tails ("tail legs"?) wrap around his legs and pull him away. He landed hard on the dirt, and the open wound he had wasn't helping. I stumbled as best as I could, but she was faster, snaking (again with the puns!) over and raising her spear.

"Death to the sssssatyr!"

The spear was thrown into his chest, prompting a quiet gasp from him before his arms fell limp.

Time seemed to slow for me as I watched my friend get murdered. Stephan, part-time goat boy, all around friend to me as I struggled growing up. His only mom was killed by a dog from Hell, and now he was killed.

Because of me.

My vision became red, the edges of my sight tinted with scarlet. My hands clenched and the whip blazed angrily, as if responding to my rage. She was about to pay. Utterly and absolutely _pay._

I didn't give her time to look up, completely throwing my whip at her and hoping that it would work. The chains wrapped around her arms, binding her while I stormed towards her. Her face didn't show it, but I saw a glint of fear in her eyes.

"He was my friend," I spat. "My best friend, and you killed him. Do you know his name?"

Her brows knit in confusion.

"Stephan. You don't have a name, do you?"

"Why would we have namessss?"

"Exactly, why would a monster like you have a name? I'll tell you: because you're a monster. Each and every one of you, who kill teenagers and families for fun." I unclenched my right hand, concentrating as I held it up for her to see. "Normally, a human like me doesn't enjoy watching someone disintegrate right before them. With you? I'll make a special case."

"Mercy!"

Mercy, eh? Pulling that card out? I looked between her and my two fingers, feeling a numbness course through my arm. I shrugged.

"Sorry." I flicked her shoulder, seeing a spark of grey shoot from my fingertips into her scales. Seconds later her scales turned grey, in even less time they were reduced to dust as the effect travelled across her body, her expression giving me a sick satisfaction.

"Should've showed some to Stephan."

* * *

I stood for some time over the pile that used to be my friend's killer, breathing heavily. As I turn away, my head starts pounding, causing me to squint in discomfort. I staggered over to my friend's body, the grass around him soaked crimson by his blood. Normally I'm squeamish around bloody scenes, needing a pair of gloves before proceeding. But this is Stephan. He gets my full respect.

I expected him to be heavier than he looked, since he could eat whole boxes- both the meal and the box- of pizza on a good day. In my arms though he felt as light as a newborn. I did grunt with some effort, only because my ankle's acting up and my head's in league with it. I turned, vision darkening as I walked, chain whip forgotten, kicking up piles of dust.

Through hazy eyes I can see a pine tree. I've seen some big Christmas trees in my childhood years, but this one? Easily belongs at the White House; it's absolutely massive. And I feel it reaching out to me, almost glowing with a soft halo of light.

Or that's the setting sun behind it and I'm being dramatic. Either way, I'm having trouble staying upright, staggering up the hill with labored breaths. I thought I heard horns blowing, voices yelling out to me.

I slipped on a patch of damp grass, trying but failing to keep a hold on Stephan. I'm unconscious before I hit the ground.

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**A/N: yeah, Andrew's unintentionally OP in this chapter, huh? I got the whip idea from Ghost Rider (the film starring Nicholas Cage wasn't a terrible movie, but there was a lot of room for improvement), except this time it's surrounded by Greek fire. Let me know what you think. Up next: Andrew gets a visit from his father. Dun dun DUUUUUN!**

**Also, as of right now, 8:51 p.m. mountain time, The Hero and the Malig Knight has... *deep breath* OVER 9,000 READS! Thank you all so much for the support! I never expected to get this far, but we did it!**

**Thank you for reading this story; if you liked it why not leave a like and/or follow? If you didn't, how about telling me where I can improve? Reviews are always appreciated; see you next time.**

**Write on!**


	4. My dad pays me a visit (about Time)

**A/N: I LIIIIVVVVVEEEEEEEEEE! Hallelujah, college finals are over with and I finished my first year! Wootwootwootwootwoot! Anyways, Chapter 3 of BOOT (the acronym for this story is "boot". That's honestly the best thing I've seen lol .)**

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My Dad pays me a visit (about time)

Have you ever remembered a dream, or known when you were dreaming? Do you remember how it felt to realize, "Hang on, this is fake. I can do anything I want!" Well I haven't. Mostly all I remember in my dreams are the typical flowers in the background of a _Spongebob Squarepants _episode.

This though, I immediately knew it was a dream. I don't know how or why, only that it wasn't real. I'm standing above a void of black. Though now that I look up I'm wondering if I'm already in the void? Everything's pitch black, I can't see anything.

"-4,015,914 minutes since global destruction. It still sucks. I'm alone, which is totally unfair. I could've had Zeus to keep me company, or Poseidon, or Hades, grumpy as he normally is."

Who was that? I turned on the spot, trying to locate the source of the sound. After a minute I spotted a figure, sitting on an invisible chair and running hands through his brown, shoulder-length hair. They're wearing a dark green vest with deep black pants and sleeves, something men wore at casinos. His left arm has five different watches, while his right arm only had three. Two pocket watches hung from his breast pockets, as if he didn't have enough things to keep track of time.

"I miss Sarah. I've said it a bajillion times already, but I really miss her. I hate how she had to give her life to make sure I sent our son back. But then again, she's always been the boss, hasn't she?" he fondly chuckled, though there's a sadness in his smile and his hands stopped combing through his hair.

"Why did she have to do it?" he sighed. "It was just an idea I had, I don't even know if it would work. And now Andrew's likely lost, or got vaporized by time's currents-"

"Excuse me?"

His head snapped up in the blink of an eye, darting round to try and find me. I walked closer, unsure how to approach this, or him, for that matter.

"Who's there?" he called. "Zeus? Poseidon? Apollo? I'm willing to settle for Ares?"

"N-no, it's just me. My name is Andrew, and I was wondering if-"

His already frantic eyes widened, roughly the size of dinner plates. Next thing I knew he shot to his feet, pulling a phone out and messing with it.

"Drat! Power's at 1%," he cursed under his breath. "Where's a charger when you're in purgatory? Now I really need Zeus here-"

"Hi, um, my question? Are you talking about me?"

"Wha-? Oh! Sorry, yes, got distracted; often happens when you've had too much time alone. What do you need, Andrew… last name please?"

"I'm not comfortable with giving strangers my last name, sir."

"Oh, of course, of course! That's elementary knowledge my boy; I'm just getting the feeling that you were raised in an orphanage, without knowing who your parents were."

Now it's _my_ turn for my eyes to bug out.

"You've displayed strange powers over your life that others dismiss as pranks or symptoms of a certain condition, met strangers that aren't exactly _human_ per se, and if I'm correct, and I pray to _every_ God of _every_ religion that I'm right… all you have from your parents is a gold pocket watch. The numbers are Roman numerals, and the hands look like tiny literal hands pointing at the time, and if I'm not mistaken, the underside of the cover have a Greek inscription you may be able to read now."

I'm left speechless, my hand reaching into my pocket to retrieve the very item he described. And for the first time in my life I peered at the underside of the lid, seeing tiny Greek letters that, somehow, I'm able to translate:

" 'To my little demititan, Andrew Duncan, whose mother- ' "

" '-was able to capture my heart as Rhea did before; know that I am with you at all times.' " He's barely containing his excitement, he looks like a child ready to tear his presents open on Christmas. "Am I right?"

I popped the lid closed as I turn to look at the man, lost for words. "Dad?"

"YES!" he whooped as he leapt around in unadulterated joy. "Yes, it WORKED! HAHAHAHAHA! I'm a genius, a sheer, total, _genius!_ Eat your heart out, David Tennant and Matt Smith and all you wonderful actors and screenwriters! In your face, Gaea! I BEAT THE FATES THEMSELVES!"

I watched as he continued exclaiming in excitement, slightly amused and worried by his childlike antics. After he finishes he turned in my direction, although it seemed like he still couldn't find me.

"You have no idea how much this means to me! I had my doubts about sending you back, but Sarah always told me that I need to doubt my doubts before I doubt my capabilities. Oh Sarah, you glorious, _sexy _mortal!"

"Why'd you do it?"

He paused mid-cheer to look towards me, his face somewhere between joy and confusion. "Why'd I do what?"

"Send me away. Was I a bad kid, did I do something wrong or-"

"Oh no, no no!" he waved his hands in a panic, probably to try stopping my worries, "you weren't unwanted; we were just faced with the end of the world."

I tilted my head in confusion. He went on to explain that in his timeline, the Titans and Greek Gods got along just fine, and their children were powerful; as a result, Camp Half-Blood was a refuge for demigods and "demititans". However, Python wasn't happy with being sent to the Underworld, so he convinced a demigod that Titans were superior to the Gods, prompting a war to break out between both groups of children. Before it could get out of hand, Apollo caught on with his enemy's tricks, finding him and sending him back to Tartarus.

"It wasn't easy, mind you. The serpent had possessed a demigod and rallied a whole army of monsters together; it took weeks to kill them all."

"But what does that have to do with me?" I asked.

"Hush, m'boy," he put a finger to my lips, winking cheekily. "Spoilers. If your universe is anything like mine you'll find out soon enough."

"..." I was trying to not be uncomfortable with how close he was, parent or not. "Was it a good thing, or a bad thing?"

That seemed to distract him. I noted the involuntary shudder in his shoulders and the trace of fear in his eyes as he pulled away. "It was a massacre."

"Massacre? Why was I saved?"

"You were just a baby. In a time where kids like you were being killed each day I had to act. So on the brink of our destruction I had two choices: keep you with us as we tried desperately to stall our inevitable destruction, or send you away with the hope of avoiding this altogether. And let me tell you," he looked directly at me, giving a pained, miserable smile, "it was never an easy decision."

"Why though? What was the massacre?"

He started to reply but a giant chime cut him off, like the sound of a gong. He grunted in dismay as he flipped a watch open. "Out of time for tonight. Guess the hours really do fly by when you're asleep."

He walked up to me while talking, looking up at my eyes and placing a hand on my shoulder. He gave me one more grin, ruffling my hair - I could actually _feel _his hand, thin but strong fingers brushing through my unruly hair.

"I'll see you as soon as I can. Hope I don't miss your claiming, bound to be _spectacular. _The first son of a Titan. Oh, before I forget," he backed away, fading into the mists converging on us, "give my regards to Perseus Jackson."

I tried to remember the feeling of his hand on my shoulder, how he smiled at me in the way parents would when they were proud of their children, but the images were already bowed and disappeared, and the world around me turned white.

* * *

I bolted upright with a gasp, startling the small group of people working around me. I started to get to my feet but others rushed to me, trying to prevent me from getting up and possibly hurting myself. I tried pushing their hands away in vain attempts to get feeling in my legs.

"I'm fine, I just need to stand- no, seriously, I don't feel hurt-"

"Let him be."

The calm voice interrupted my arguments but simultaneously stopped the others' attempts at holding me down. They stepped away, letting me sit up and prop myself against the pillows.

The cabin I'm in looked nice and tidy, sunlight streaming through the windows as they welcomed the new day. The people who weren't laying in cots wore orange shirts with purple writing that I couldn't read from where I was. All looked at least a year older than me, possibly more. I turned to the sound of a wheelchair rolling towards me.

A man sat next to my bed, looking like he taught at middle school. His beard was neatly trimmed, he wore a suit despite his condition, eyebrows bushier than his beard. His legs were covered by a light blue blanket. I looked him over, noting how the cloth seemed to shimmer or hide what looked like… horse legs?

"What's with the wheelchair?"

Several teenagers gasped at my lack of subtlety, but the man merely smiled, waving off their horrified expressions. "Well, as you can see my legs don't work properly, so I need a wheelchair to-"

"How long have you been paralyzed?"

He raised an eyebrow. "All of my life."

"Uh huh. You, sir," I pointed a finger at him boldly, something that only happens when I've gone a full day without my daily meds, "are lying. The wheelchair looks brand new, almost like you unboxed it this morning. I'm willing to bet it's not even a real wheelchair, huh? You look like a middle aged man, but I can _see_," I squinted at him, ignoring his genuine surprise, "somehow, you're much older than that. You look young, but then again my best friend just told me about how the Greek world's actually real, so it's probably another illusion or something. You're what, five thousand years old? Also, why horse legs?"

He remained in silence at my small list of evidence, shared with the stunned people in the cabin. Then he tossed his head back and laughed heartily for a good minute, soothing the growing bubble of panic that worked its way up in the silence after I stopped talking. He wiped a tear with the back of his hand, chuckling often at random.

"All my life, and I've never met someone as forthright as you. To answer your earlier statements, yes, I am not a paraplegic, the wheelchair is merely a front, a disguise if you will. And for who I am…" the wheelchair glowed white before fading away, showing himself for what he was.

"…"

"…"

"You're… half horse."

"The proper term is centaur, my boy. My name is Chiron."

I nodded, vaguely remembering the black sheep of the rowdy herd in Greek mythology. His horse half resembled a pure white horse. It wasn't the strangest thing I've seen, and that meant a lot considering yesterday's events.

"What's next, half-scorpions?"

"Let's not push the Fates about that." He nodded towards the door, silently encouraging me to follow. I pushed myself off the bed and onto my feet, momentarily stopping as I felt wood beneath bare feet.

"Where are my shoes?" I asked, checking my foot immediately for splinters.

"Ah, yes; we retrieved your belongings and put them beside your bed. Take your time in getting ready, I'll see you out front."

I looked at the others in the room. "Would you mind leaving?"

One of them said, "But you're just putting on shoes."

"Yeah, I'm just uncomfortable with people watching me while I change. So if you wouldn't mind..." I kindly gestured to the door. They all sighed in apparent frustration; didn't they understand I needed complete privacy? Thankfully they complied, some of them storming out and leaving me by myself. I sighed in relief.

Chiron said I could take my time getting ready. So that's what I'll do, and the Gods themselves can't stop me.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and I could've sworn it sounded ominous. Probably my imagination.

…

On second thought, I better hurry up.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so essays are done, now it's just the midterms I have to take. So out of the frying pan, but not out of the oven quite yet. Long time, no posting. Up next, Andrew gets a tour of camp and gets more than he bargained for.**

**The Hero and the Malig Knight (I'm not so sure about calling it "THATMG") will be updated soon, I just happen to have chosen a fight chapter- gosh, I hate writing combat: it's either not enough fighting or someone's overpowered. One of the reasons I took a break from my Pokemon story.**

**As always, thank you for reading this. If you enjoyed this, why not leave a like and/or follow? I appreciate your reviews, whether they're constructive or simple expressions of happiness; please leave one.**

**Write on!**


	5. The Centaur nearly shoots me

**A/N: new chapter of BOOT, hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

The Centaur nearly shoots me

"...Whoa."

Whoa was an understatement. After I left the cabin I was met with camp, although the word didn't give enough credit. It looked more like a renaissance festival, with cabins arranged in a horseshoe shape some distance away from us. Farther up was an amphitheater, a literal stone _amphitheater_.

There were several other points of interest, like a pavilion or a rock climbing wall with lava flowing down. I would not be participating in that.

"This is Camp Half-Blood?"

"Indeed," Chiron said, "not just a summer camp. A place of respite for-"

"For demigods or kids born from the Greek Gods and Goddesses, I know," I waved a hand. "My friend Stephan was telling me about them before he… he..."

Oh no. Stephan.

I whirled around, looking up at the centaur's face. His mouth twitched, his eyes containing something I only saw in adults: sympathy.

"I'm so sorry."

"No." I couldn't think of anything else to say. My best friend for nearly ten years, gone in a single afternoon. The sky lost a shade of blue, the grass around me seemed to wilt in sorrow as I fell to my knees, struggling for breath. I, I-

I couldn't breathe. I was literally gasping for air, hands spasming and clutching air.

"Oh dear. Someone please fetch him some nectar, bring him his-"

And the scene shifted. It was like someone flipped a channel on life and gone to a horror movie. Fire roared around me as I shot up in alarm. The cabins blazed brighter than bonfires, each a different color of the rainbow. The skies were painted black with thunderclouds, leering over me with a terrifying, hidden gaze.

"_You did this! This is all YOUR FAULT!_"

I spun on my bottom to look back at Chiron, but he no longer looked passive. He looked ready to tear my heart out, bow in his arms. Half of his face was smeared with blood; his or someone else's I couldn't tell. One of his front legs was crippled, the hoof shattered.

"_I should've killed you when you first arrived here. No child here will be the son of a Titan._"

He retrieved an arrow from his quiver, the tip dripping gold. My eyes widened as he let it fly at me, a flash of pain lancing my chest-

My mouth was suddenly filled with a substance that burst into flavor. It had the consistency of honey but was flavored like pancakes. Not just any pancakes: Mrs. Castanza's notoriously delicious buttermilk pancakes, made from scratch. As the flavor washed through my mouth the reality shifted back, smoke and fires vanishing, leaving me surrounded by two campers kneeling beside me. Chiron was standing by them, looking mildly concerned, but in his eyes I no longer found safety. He wasn't just a teacher, but a seasoned veteran ready to kill. His concern morphed into surprise as I suddenly crawled away from him.

"Please don't kill me, please don't kill me!"

He blinked at my panicked pleas, my hands raised to protect my face. The kids around him exchanged surprised glances, one or two of them gasping at my outcry. The centaur looked placid but I figured he could easily pull out the bow on his back and fire a round of arrows faster than I could blink. I just hoped that he wouldn't be aiming for me.

"Kill you? Dear boy, I'd never-"

"I'll go to the activities! I-I-I'll try out the rock wall, I'll stick around for lunches, I swear; please don't kill me!"

There was an awkward pause, broken only by my ragged breaths. The hand placed on my shoulder only made me flinch.

"Do you have panic attacks often?"

I peeked up at him, still fearing an impending attack. When he showed no signs of reaching for a dagger or arrow I let out a minuscule sigh of relief.

"...this is the first one after a few months of peace. Normally they're not this aggressive, or mean or… weird."

"So you have anxiety. Is there anything else you need to share?"

_I'm the son of a Titan,_ I thought. I didn't bother saying that out loud though; "I have obsessive compulsive disorder so expect some weird behavior often. I have a lot of exaggerated fears which may prevent me from enjoying activities, and I may need to be by myself at times-"

"That's not the end of the world; many of the people here have odd behaviors. You're in good hands."

"Anyone the son of Poseidon or the big gods?"

That wasn't the right thing to ask; he frowned in contemplation. My insides were shredding themselves alive, heart trying to beat at the speed of sound.

"The gods were allowed to mingle with mortals, but the Big Three- Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades- made a pact in 1960 to not have any kids. The powers that they could inherit could be… cataclysmic."

Huh. Well, I'm technically not a son of the Big Three but-

"What about Titans? Are there any children of Titans?"

This time, his frown deepened further. "The Titans were thrown into Tartarus for rebelling against the Gods. You are aware of the conflict between Kronos and the Olympians, yes?"

I nodded, it was common knowledge in Greek mythology. Kronos eats his infants, Zeus is secretly kept alive, grows up to save his siblings, you know the rest… wait. Hold on.

Did my _dad _eat the Gods? How could he still exist if he was supposed to be banished for rebellion? He said they got along, but it might be hard to get along with a father who ate you when you were a baby-

"The possibility of the existence of Titan children is impossible. Unless there was a chance a Titan or Titaness escaped without our knowledge and had the chance to have offspring, unlikely as it seems. If there were any children… I fear the results."

Funny, he's talking to the son of the biggest, baddest Titan. The one who started this mess.

"Have you been claimed yet?"

I tilted my head at his question.

"When a demigod comes of age their Olympian parent gives them a sign of their heritage," he elaborated. "The claiming happens around twelve years of age, given by a symbol over their heads."

"Is there a celebration?"

"Normally no, but if you want one we-"

"I'm fine," I interrupted him, unintentionally harsh. "No celebrations necessary for claiming."

He raised his hands in peaceful surrender. "Your call, not mine. Let's get you moved in, shall we?"

* * *

As it turned out, moving in had me introducing myself to the members of the Hermes cabin, a group of both claimed and unclaimed demigods. The counselor was a young adult named Luke Castellan, someone who looked like they lost a fight with a panther; a long scar ran across his face. His blond hair was messy and unkempt, something I had in common.

The cabin was crowded nearly to the maximum. Luke said that the demigods in the Hermes cabin were mostly unclaimed, despite being past the proper age. As he said it I noticed his hands tense ever so lightly, a dash of coldness flicker across his expression.

"Were you one of the late claimed?"

He turned to me, momentarily losing his stony look. "Sorry?"

"Did your dad claim you late, or was he absent most of your life?"

"Well yeah, I was raised by my mom mostly but- wait," he raised a finger at me, "how'd you know that?"

I was about to say it was obvious and list the details, but settled for a shrug. "Lucky guess, I suppose."

He studied me for a minute in silence, before deciding to drop it. He sent me a smile, showing his nearly perfect white teeth.

"For a minute thought you would say you're psychic or something."

"Nope, just a kid with anxiety problems. Nothing special here."

"Well, we're all special in our own ways. Some of us just need to find it."

He introduced me as the newest recruit to the cabin. Most of them were friendly enough, but one of the kids recognized me as the kid who nearly burst into tears just minutes ago. His laugh made me shrink back with a grimace that turned into a flinch as Luke put a hand to my shoulder.

"Hey, come on now. Andrew's just like the rest of us, just has bad anxiety. I don't want to hear any of you teasing him for insecurities, or I'll have to get Mr. D. Got it?"

There was a general mutter of consent, though I saw one or two of them glanced at me with some disapproval. Outside the cabin, a conch horn sounded. I nearly jumped at the volume, prompting Luke's bark of laughter. "Just the call to lunch. Finish settling in and come join us at the table."

He exited the cabin leisurely, some of his cabin mates following after. I was left with two other campers, one a girl with mousy features and brown curly hair, the other a dude with strawberry blond hair and a lanky build. They introduced themselves as Amanda Stewart and Jared Meinart, respectively, before heading out for lunch.

So much for first impressions, I guess.

* * *

**A/N: Fitting in is tough, especially for a kid like Andrew. Also introduced in this chapter are two more OC's, whom will later fit in with the story! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next time: lunch break. And a certain blond-haired daughter of Athena decides to pay our friend a visit.**

**Thank you for reading this; if you enjoyed, how about that like and/or follow? Reviews are always appreciated, so don't hesitate to leave your words for what you enjoy or what could be done better.**

**Write on!**


	6. My first girlfriend (female friend)

**A/N: hope a lot of you aren't too mad at me for my absence, life just wants to remind you of other things to do. Anyway, a new chapter in BOOT!**

* * *

First Friend (actual friend)

Too much too much too much too much-

I stood, paralyzed, looking at the crowd of campers at the tables. The dining area was a stone pavilion, fancy from afar and up close, stone pillars stationed at the corners to support a massive roof. It was almost like school, except the people here were closer together and actually wanted to know me. This was just too much for me on the first day.

I felt my stomach groan in protest, begging for some fuel to last the day. My brain refused to listen, telling me to get out of here as soon as possible-

"Heavens, child, are you going to stand there like a deer caught in the headlights?"

I turned to face a middle-aged man wearing a Hawaiian tiger-print shirt, his hair looked black- almost purple. Purple eyes squinted at me disapprovingly, and in those violet pupils, I saw glimpses of actions I never committed: people strangled by grapevines, warriors drunkenly staggering into battle, bloodshot eyes and dribbling at the mouth, sailors transforming into dolphins from the waist up. There was one Greek god which I showed little interest in.

"Dionysus. God of wine."

He folded his arms at my words, looking unimpressed by my knowledge. At least I acknowledged him, right?

"Yes, that's me, good for you. Now then, are you going to move or will I have to turn you into a rat?"

"You mean dolphin? I thought it was a dolphin. You turned those sailors into dolphins… for… kidnapping you..."

I didn't like the look he gave me for correcting him, nor did I like the glint that burned in his eyes.

"Rat, dolphin, I can turn a mortal into any animal I wish. I would've turned you into a rat so you could breathe on land, but a dolphin's fine by me if it gets rid of you much quicker-"

I moved aside before he finished that statement. As he strode past I heard him mutter, "Twit."

I didn't bother fighting back. It's times like these where you have to decide if the fight's worth it or not. Standing up to a punk in school? Sure, if the outcome isn't me receiving a broken arm or nose. Choosing to snap back at a God? No thanks.

My gaze switched to Luke, who was preoccupied with talking to a camper at their overcrowded table. Seeing them made me feel conflicted, a sort of longing and desire to join in on the fun, but a fear that I would blunder and make myself look idiotic.

I… I didn't feel like hanging out with Luke at the table, and both my stomach and mind were in agreement, for once. I waited for the line to die down before taking a plate of food and walking to the fire at the center of the pavilion, mimicking the other campers who scraped a portion of their meal into the flames.

Except I just dumped all of my food in. it was good food- barbeque, potato chips, some orange slices, I just wasn't hungry. And while they consecrated their offerings to the Gods and their parents out loud, I bowed my head.

_Father, _I prayed, _help me try to fit in here. I don't feel like I belong; they're all children of the Gods, and they have one or no social troubles. I'm the one who has an overload of anxieties, and likely the only son of a Titan. I don't know what to do-_

**Thalia's tree.**

I jerked my eyes open at the voice in my head, distinctly the voice of my dad. I looked around, unsure if anyone else had heard. The ones who met my gaze turned away just as fast as if they didn't want me to see them. Staring. I was used to staring, but it was usually one or two people in a classroom. Not a dozen or so campers in a pavilion.

Guess I'm gonna listen to the voice in my head, then. I stopped by my table and asked Luke where this "Thalia's tree" was, only for him to point at the giant pine tree on the hill with a faintly stoic gaze. Guess that was a touchy subject for him.

I didn't bother looking behind me as I left the pavilion. I could feel the eyes boring into me, hear the whispers between the tables. Gossip spreading about my pathetic quirks. Guess that's one part of my wish that'll never be realized.

It should've taken longer than it should've but I was at the tree in a matter of minutes. The tree made me feel like a garden gnome, staring up at a colossal being. The pine needles looked vibrant, the bark was a healthy brown.

I took a seat against the base, my back leaning against the trunk as my hands folded behind my head. It was a nice day, but I was wary of the lethal creatures that could appear without me noticing.

"Doubt that would happen, as the camp's guarded by the tree you're leaning against."

I yelped in panic as my father appeared right next to me, grinning as he swung a pocket watch in his hand. I was met with relief before I realized the situation: my father, a _Titan_, in the middle of a demigod camp.

"What're you doing here?! I thought you could only visit me in dreams!"

"Yes, I did say that. However, your presence here has given a reasonable disturbance to the timeline, causing enough temporal energy to allow me to exist in your mind. I can appear in your dreams, or create a transparent version of me in your presence- visible to you, and you alone."

I tried to process what he was saying, eyes darting around for any campers watching. "The fact that you're here, alive and at camp, waiting for me to claim you, is already contradicting what the timeline says should happen. It's like- ahh, how do I explain this?" He wrung his hands madly as he tried to find the right way to, uh…

"Explain time, or explain how my presence causes problems?"

"No, explain how your presence here was unexpected, but the Fates are already adapting. Aha!" He grabbed a bronze pocket watch from seemingly nowhere and held it up. "How aware of paradoxes are you?"

"You mean the impossible events or things that should be impossible but still exist?"

"No; I mean two doctors in the same room."

I tilted my head in confusion. What did doctors have to do with-

"A pair o' docs!"

Oh. It was a pun. I made a disgruntled groan as he cackled madly. Why did he have to be a pun-lover? Bad enough that he was probably insane-

"Excuse me?"

I looked back up at him as the laughter cut off suddenly, my father staring at me with knit brows and a rather insulted look.

"You think I'm insane?"

"How did you-"

"I'm in your head. I can hear everything you think."

Okay, that was invasive. Wait, does that mean he could see everything I'm seeing-

"Yep. I can't do anything, mind you, except talk in your head."

Oh, boy. This was going to be… interesting.

"That's one word for it. Anyways, back to the lesson," he directed his attention back at the watch in his hands, ignoring the fact I had called him insane. Well, maybe that was a little too much; then again he was alone for… how much are five million minutes in hours? Too long, probably.

"Anyways," my father ignored my internal rambling, "the paradox in this instance is called a Grandfather Paradox. I in this instance am the watch," he pointed to the tiny clock on the end of the chain. "And the only reason I'm allowed to be in this reality, the reason I'm alive and not rotting in Tartarus, is because of the chain link," he flicked a finger against the chain that held the clock, causing it to swing to and fro. "The link that you create just by being alive is strong enough to sustain my presence, but not enough to give me a physical appearance- only you can see me. Everything that you do, whether it interacts with the others or participate in major events, adds to the link," he let a part of the chain slide out of his hand, making the visible chain longer, "and my connection with you becomes stronger."

"So you're like a parasite feeding off me?"

"Wha- no! No, this isn't parasitism, it's more… I'm the one getting the benefits, you are neither hurt nor helped as you go on about life. Commensalism. Once you've done enough altercations to the current timeline the time will come for me to show myself in all of my glory."

"But," I tried wrapping my head around what he meant, "shouldn't you have been here first with me following after some years? That's how it's supposed to work, isn't it? A man and a woman fall in love, get married, start a family? I shouldn't be alive!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, there can't be anything before that; I mean, the first humans were originally organisms that evolved from cells billions of years ago-"

"Are you sure?"

"Well, yeah. The Big Bang made everything."

"Uh-huh. How sure are you?"

Why is he asking me this? The Big Bang is the literal start of the universe, the Greek Gods came along from the Titans, who were the children of the Earth and the Sky, who were… who…

"Where did Gaea and her husband came from?"

"Ah, that's not what I'm asking. Stay focused, Andrew. Are you _certain _that the Big Bang is the true beginning of the universe and life as we know it."

I started to reply but stopped. His raised brow and tone was giving me second thoughts, and I always wondered if there was anything before the beginning. There had to be, we didn't just come into existence after a giant explosion.

"Well… there has to be some kind of time before it, right?"

"We don't know. And we never will, most likely."

Well, that was a silly question. Now I felt rather stupid. "So what was the point of those questions then?"

"To show you that everything doesn't always have an exact, precise beginning. Sure, humanity may have evolved from organisms that crawled out of the ocean or began when God dropped a couple from heaven, but the point stands that we don't know. We may never know; maybe some kid of Athena will figure out the secrets of the universe.

"Back to the paradox," he redirected his attention on the pocket watch, "the watch exists because of the chain. I exist because of you when in actuality it should be the kid who lives because of the parent. It's impossible, and shouldn't even be a theory."

"But I'm still here," I said, looking at my hands, feeling my fingers tap against my palm to make sure I wasn't a ghost.

"Exactly! It should be impossible, you shouldn't be here- but you _are_! You achieved what the Fates could never have predicted, you are an example of Titans coexisting with the Gods!"

Oh, that reminds me.

"Um, speaking of," I hesitated, not sure how he would react to hearing the news, "Chiron said there's no chance for a child of a Titan to exist-"

"Well, you're the first and only exception!"

"-because they're in Tartarus."

"They're in-" his eyes widened as he repeated my statement, some of his jovialness peeling away. "Tartarus? What for?"

"They fought against the Gods. You were their leader."

"But that's absurd! We stepped down when our children came of age, I surrendered the throne to my eldest son! We raised them like any good parent, we gave them a wonderful childhood. Are they corrupted?"

"I don't think so. You didn't imprison the Cyclopes or the Hekatonkheires?"

"Of course not! They were our siblings- albeit they weren't as good-looking and they lacked any supernatural abilities as we had- but they were Gaea's kids! Why would we imprison them when they helped us learn so much?"

"..."

"Andrew, tell me what else we did wrong. Surely it can't have been that bad-"

"You were told that your children would rule the world and didn't like it, so you ate your kids when they were infants."

He made a sound like a strangled wheeze, eyes bugging out at me. I nodded in confirmation, prompting him to retch. Then came the ranting:

"THAT'S DISGUSTING! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM- SCRATCH THAT; WHAT'S WRONG WITH _ME_?! TOTAL INFANTICIDE IS ONE THING; EATING THEM ALIVE?! NO WONDER WE'RE IMPRISONED, I WOULD HAVE ENSURED THAT I WAS PUNISHED!"

I was glad that for once I could only see and hear him, listening to him shriek in disbelief about his crimes. He continued his ranting for a few minutes or so, and if I'm gonna be honest… it was kind of funny, seeing how his eyebrows tried to achieve orbit and how his spit flew like bursts from a shotgun. I waited for him to regain his breath, panting heavily with hands held up, wondering what kind of sick deity would eat his children.

"Are you talking to the tree?"

My head whirled around at the voice, I was greeted by a camper, arms folded and eyebrow raised in either confusion or amusement. Maybe a mixture of both. I vaguely recognized her as one of the campers who walked with Chiron, though I wasn't sure if she saw my panic attack. She looked nice- tan skin, curly blond hair, athletic build- and yet I felt that if she was in a fight with a biker, the biker would be crying for his mother. So the girl in front of me could easily outsmart me.

I turned back to my father, but he had already vanished.

"Umm… yes," I said, settling on the obvious answer. "Just… talking to myself and anyone who'll listen, since everyone likely thinks I'm the crybaby."

"What makes you a crybaby?"

I looked up at her, slightly surprised by her genuine confusion. Was she not there at my breakdown?

"I broke down in front of Chiron because I thought he was going to kill me-"

"Why'd you think that?"

I drew up my knees to my chest, hugging them as I debated telling her of my flashback if I could call it that. I heard the grass rustle in front of me as she sat down, not wanting to meet her judgemental eyes.

"I… thought he was going to kill me because… I wasn't claimed yet."

"You thought he would kill you over that?"

I nodded, trying to hide the cringe that came from the lie. I neither favored nor disapproved of lying, but it was a necessary evil in my life. No one would care if I said I needed their help, they'd probably mock me for asking such a ridiculous question when they have plenty of better things to do. Incoming snide remark in three, two-

"You're one of the new kids, right?"

Again I nodded, peeking an eye up to see her calculating gaze. Where was she going with this…?

"Do you have anxiety or something that makes you panic frequently?"

"Generalized anxiety disorder, yeah."

"Then it's not my place to judge. You probably have anxiety attacks more than everyone else here, so your mind works differently."

"..." Okay, this girl was not acting her age. Ridiculous as it seemed, she was becoming my favorite person, just beaten by my former childhood friend. I raised an eyebrow. "How old are you?"

"Typically it's rude to ask a girl how old she is," she quipped with a smirk. "I'm twelve."

"You're easily the most mature person I have ever spoken to. Apart from my foster family, before they..."

A flash of grim memories prompted me to sigh bitterly, resting my head on my arms. I couldn't change what was done, and it was all my fault for no apparent reason other than being alive.

"I'm sorry. Were they nice to you?"

"Probably the best people on the planet, and I haven't met the Gods yet."

I started reminiscing how Stefan and I first met, how I earned detention for giving three kids each a bloody nose. I paid attention to my temper afterward, but that one outbreak was worth it. No one deserves to be bullied for being different, especially someone like Stefan. And as I let the memories flow out of me, the anxious weight on my chest eased up, still there but not as commanding as before.

"Stefan wasn't bothered after that," I said, relishing the image of kids veering away from the both of us. Much better to be feared by the enemy than loved for bullying. "There was even a few who offered tin cans to him since he didn't hide his habits well."

A fond chuckle escaped my lips as I recalled him not so secretly munching on empty soda cans. And then the memories came in force: Saturday mornings watching cartoons and eating pancakes, free time spent as he taught me the controls for _Monster Hunter 2_, he and his mother enjoying my embarrassment at stuffing my face full of homemade taquitos. I almost forgot about the girl in front of me, immersing myself in memories, but I shook my head as I returned to the present.

"Whoops. Sorry about that, kinda got lost in thought, that was rude of me."

"Don't be. You looked like you were in a happy place."

I nodded, still cherishing the image of his patient smile. He was the only one who understood what I was going through growing up. And if he were here, he'd simultaneously comfort me and gently guide me to be better.

"I didn't catch your name," I said, looking back at the girl.

"You first."

"... all right. I'm Andrew. Andrew Duncan, unclaimed."

"Annabeth Chase." She held her hand out to me and I shook it. "Daughter of Athena."

My eyebrows shot to the top of my forehead. She was Athena's daughter? "Really?"

"Yeah, why?" when I struggled to reply she sighed, and I picked up on some hidden annoyance. "If it's another blonde joke or sexist comment, I swear I'll wring-"

"It's not a joke about your hair… which looks nice, by the way. I just thought that, well, Athena wouldn't mingle with mortals, with her 'I'm-so-smart-and-divine' attitude and today's culture."

(It's a fair reason, in my opinion.)

She tilted her head, not fazed by my hasty compliment. "Today's culture?"

"Women aren't as respected as men-" (don't look at me like that, I don't think like that. I don't even know why women are underappreciated) "-and a lot of male figures are known for their role in movies instead of sciences or stuff like that."

She listened to my explanation carefully, nodding now and then. "Fair point. There are a few exceptions, wouldn't you agree?"

I shrugged. I decided it would be easier to comply rather than point out the mistakes men have made. It was nice to have someone to talk to who didn't judge me for how I behaved or generally lived. We continued talking about random topics, whatever came to mind before the horn blew again. Seems time flies when I'm actually enjoying myself.

"Stop by the Athena cabin later," Annabeth said, "I should be free to give you a proper tour of Camp Half-Blood."

"Are you sure? I don't want to intrude or interrupt anything going on-"

"Relax, Andrew. You're a good kid, but you're starting to remind me of the other new guy."

"Other new guy?"

"Yeah, he showed up two nights ago," she turned away momentarily to scan the crowd of faces walking away for various activities. She lifted an arm; "There. The one who looks like they think they don't belong."

I followed her gaze to a boy just a year under my age. His hair was deep black, similar to my own and, as Annabeth said, he looked extremely uncomfortable. If possible, he looked as uncomfortable as I used to feel. Eyes darted to and fro, hands playing with each other as he tried to figure out where to go.

"Poor guy."

"Yeah, he needs some work. Especially for someone who killed the Minotaur."

"The- wait. _The_ Minotaur? As in, half-man, half-bull?"

She nodded.

"Huh. Looks kinda like me."

"At least you're acting mature." I ignored the compliment and unheard insult, feeling my cheeks flare up.

"What's his name?"

"Percy Jackson."

Percy Jackson? I looked over at him, noting the discomfort in his face and the general aura he radiated. The kid who looked like they grew up on the coast, decent tan with deep brown hair, okay build- better than anything I could pull off. One thing remained in my mind.

What makes this kid so special?

* * *

**A/N: Again, I'm sorry for the lack of updates. Summer break seems to distract my muse, ironic considering that most of my chapters get done when I have school. I'd like to blame my laptop for failing me at the end of May, but I know that I'm the true culprit. Hopefully, this will be enough for a wake-up call to get me writing more. Up next: the Ares cabin didn't learn the lesson to never go against the new kid.**

**Thank you for taking the time to read this story- if you enjoyed it, why not leave a like and/or a follow? Constructive criticism and reviews are deeply appreciated, as well as some simple appreciation.**

**Have a good day!**


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